Rotary engine



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UNITED STATES- yPATi-cNr OFFICE.

EDVARD O. BENNETT, OF IIAYVARDS, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,252, dated May 19,1896. Application filed February 25, 1895. Serial No. 539,658. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD O. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Haywards, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the production of a rotary engine havingseveral advantages in construction and operation over other engines ofthat class or description heretofore made, particularly with respect tosimplicity of working parts, cost of manufacture, and effectiveconversion of motive force into mechanical power and its economicalapplication to the work to be done.

In motors of the class or description to which these improvementsrelate, commonly known as rotary engines, the piston or part acted on bythe motive force has continuous rotary motion within a surrounding casethat forms the cylinder. In the present construction this case orcylinder rotates on a stationary axis, while the part termed the pistonis fixed and remains stationary within the case. By suitable andwell-known means, such as a pulley and a belt or gearing in place of thepulley, the revolving case is connected with a shaft or part to bemoved. The result of this construction is to greatly reduce the frictionbetween the cylinder or case and the inclosed piston and to overcomeuneven wear of the surfaces of contact, because the direct strain orpulling force of the load or the resistance of the machinery beingdriven is removed froi'n the piston directly and leaves that part freeto yield and accommodate itself to the surrounding case. It also removesthe strain or pulling force from the joints and bearings between thecase and the piston to such extent that stuffing-boxes and packing aredispensed with at the bearings.

In connection with these features the invention embraces a certain novelconstruction and combination of parts and mechanism and the productionwith and by the same of an improved rotary engine or motor adapted tooperate by steam or compressed air or other similar motive force, ashereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims, referencebeing had to the drawings that accompany and form part o f thisspecification.

In the said drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of a rotaryengine embodying my invention with one side of the cylinder removed andthe piston in longitudinal section. side of the engine, showing one-halfof the side of the cylinder removed. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal cross-sectiontaken on the line y, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a top View of one of the slidingabutments on the piston. Fig. 4. is an end View of Fig. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal section, and Fig. 5 a cross-section at y y, of the samepart. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section through the center of therevolving cylinder and its supports, the stationary piston beingremoved. Fig. 7 is a view of the piston removed from the cylinder with aportion of one side broken away to show the internal partitions. Fig. 8is a detail view, in longitudinal section, of the sliding abutments ofthe piston; and Fig. 9 isa modification in which a spring is substitutedfor steam-pressure to press and hold the abutments in place Y againstthe periphery of the surrounding cylinder. Fig. 10 isa perspective ofthe middle portion of the stationary shaft on which the cylinderrotates. Figs. 1l and l2 are details, front and side views, of the meansthat holds the shaft from turning with the cylinder.

A indicates the casel or cylinder. P P are pillow-blocks or uprights ofa suitable engineframe with bearing PX for trunnions or journal portionsA2 on the cylinder.

B is a stationary shaft extending through the case at the center andthrough the journal portions to the outside at both ends. This shaftforms both a support for the stationary piston C within the case and aconductor for the live steam into and for the exhaust-steam from anannular steam-space X between the piston and the surrounding cylinder.The shaft is made of heavy tubing, and to one end is connected asupply-pipe D from the steamgenerator and to the other end a pipe E tocarry off the exhaust-steam. The inlet side ZX is separated from theexhaust side eX by a plug or solid portion B in the middle portion ofthe shaft, and on either side of it are situated the steam-ports orinlet-openings DX DX, that connect the steam chambers or compartments inthe piston with the inlet-passage ZX and the ports or openings E Ebetween the Fig. 2 is an elevation from the same IOO exhaust-chambers inthe piston and the outlet-passage eX through the shaft.

The piston has the form of a narrow cylinder the diameter of which isconsiderably greater than the width, and the flat sides are finishedsmooth and itted closely to the corresponding fiat sides of thesurrounding case. Its external diameter at the circular rim be ing lessthan the interior measurement of the case leaves the annular steam-spaceX between it and the periphery of the case, and at points on the insideof the ease diametrically opposite to each other are abutments I-I II',extending` on radial lines toward the axis and sitting closely to therim of the stationary piston, thereby dividing the annular space intotwo separate parts. The interior hollow space in the piston is dividedby upright partitions l l on opposite sides of the center 3 intodivisions, and these again into the two separate chambers orcompartments c c2 by partitions 2 2, extending from the center to therim of the piston.

The compartments indicated by the letter c connect with the pressureside of the central pipe B through the ports I) and the othercompartments c2 with the exhaust side through the exhaustports EX. Thesaid compartments communicate in turn with the space between the rim ofthe piston and the surrounding cylinder through the ports and passagesin the partitions 2 and the passages in the sliding abutments G, whichact as valves to regulate and control the admission and the exhaust ofthe steam. The cylindrical cavity or recess 0, containing the slid ingabutment G, is connected with the two compartments c' c2 by the ports etand 5 in the partitions 2. The seats G are of cylindrical shape, and thesliding abutments G G are of corresponding forni and are iitted to slidesmoothly in and out. By using cylindrical blocks I secure a close it andtight joints between these abutments and the piston with* out the use ofpacking. In the top and the bottom sides of these blocks arelongitudinal grooves or channels g@ forming connectingpassages betweenthe ports 4.- 5 in the partitions 2 2 and the space outside the pistonwhen the blocks set out from the body of the piston, and thus the twoparts into which the cylinder-space between the two abutments is dividedbythe outsiandin g blocks take in the motive power from vthe chamber cthrough one port and the passage on the stationary abutment and exhaustor discharge from the opposite side of the stationary abutment throughthe other passage g and the port 5.

The abutments G G are stationary excepting at those points or intervalsin the revolution of the cylinder where the inwardly-projecting portionsof the cylinder-rim pass the abutments, and at such points they arepressed into the rim of the piston against the pressure of the spring,or other means used in place of the springs, and are forced out by suchmeans as their ends pass over the end of the projections. Steam-pressureis applied behind t-liese blocks to hold them to a seat against thesurrounding rim of the cylinder, or springs can be employed in place ofsteam-pressure. Figs. 1, 3, andSillustrate onemanner of usingsteam-pressure for that purpose. Through the side of the stationaryshaft I3 is fixed a short tube I, extending through the shaft and thepartitions 2 into the cylindrical recesses G and setting at the outerends into a cylindrical recess '7 in the end otf each abutment G.Communication is opened between this tube and the steam-inlet passage ZXin the hollow shaft, so that the steam-pressure is applied andmaintained against the end of the cylindrical recess 7, the result ofwhich is to hold the cylindrical blocks G in workin g contact with theperiphery ot the cylinder. A spring fm, applied as shown in Fig. i),will produce the same eifect. In that construction the cross-tube IIforms a guide for the spring. It will be noticed that the slidingabutments operate as valves to cut oit and let in the steam-pressure atthe points where the cylinder abuutnients Il' pass the slidingabutments, but at all other times they form stationary abutments,against which the in otive power acts on the pressure side and thuscauses the cylinder to rotate. As these pieces G- in diameter aresomewhat smaller than the space between the flat sides of the cylinder,there is left a narrow space between the sides oi the cylinder and theabutment G that requires to be closed, and for this purpose packingstrips or blocks S are set in the sides of the abutment with suitableprojection to fit closely against the internal perpendicular walls otthe cylinder and of proper length to extend l' rom -the rim of thepiston to the rim of the cylinder. These blocks S set in recesses in thesides of the abutments G and are pressed out by springs S against thesides of the cylinder. Rccesses 8 are also made in the sides of thepiston to let in the heads of the abutmen ts flush with the rim of thepiston. Similar packing strips or blocks T, with springs behind them,are set into the ends of the cylinder abutments II to secure closejoints between the rim of the piston and these abutments.

Close joints between the sides of the stationary piston and the sides ofthe revolving cylinder are produced by packing-rings V, let into groovesin the sides of the cylinder.

One side or head of the cylinder is attached to the main body portion bya screw-joint A3, the thread being cut contrary to the direction. inwhich the cylinder rotates, so that it will not become loosened by themovement of the cylinder.

rlhe trunnions are bored for the stationary shaft and journal portionsare turned on the ends. The trunnion on one side is len gthened to takea gear or pulley N, by which the rotative movement of the case isapplied to the machine or part to be driven. On the ends of thestationary shaft, projecting beyond the boxes, are secured collars 7,having lugs or IOO IIC

projections IV', and on the frame are provided iixed stops P2, one aboveand one be-` neath the shaft, so placed that they present fixed pointsof resistance to the rotative movement of the shaft and prevent it fromturning with the cylinder, while, on the other hand, they allow theshaft and the piston to yield and accommodate themselves to the lateralstrain or pulling force of the load or work upon the driving-belt, andthus this force is thrown upon and resisted entirely by thetrunnion-boxes and not by either the cylinder or the piston, as in thoseconstructions where the piston rotates. The case is stationary and thepulley is on the piston-shaft.

The usual throttle-valve govern or and other well-known parts necessaryto the proper operation of the engine are added to these parts thatconstitute my invention. The same are omitted from the drawings, as theycontain no novel points of construction, and they can be applied withoutspecial explanation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, of the cylindrical case having hollow trunnions onwhich it is mounted to rotate, the stationery hollow shaft extendingthrough the center of the case and the trunnions and supported at theends outside, the stationary cylindrical piston fixed on said shaft andhaving the internal hollow spaces c c2, the partitions dividing saidspaces into the supply and the exhaust compartments, recesses in saidpartitions and the longitudinally-grooved abutments fitted to slide insaid recesses, the partition in the stationary shaft separating thesteam or inlet side from the exhaust-side or outlet side,

dividing said space into two chambers, the v springs arranged behind thesliding abutments, and the curved faces on the back of the annular spaceagainst which the head of the sliding abutment is held by such spring.

2. In a rotary engine the combination, with the hollow revoluble casehaving hollow trunnions on the sides on which it is mounted for rotationin a stationary frame; of the stationary hollow shaft extending throughthe case and its trunnions and divided in the center of the case intopressure or inlet side and exhaust or outlet side, the hollownon-rotating piston fixed on said shaft, and having its interior spacedivided by radial partitions into two supply and two exhaustcompartments, the ports in the stationary shaft connecting eachcompartment with the corresponding side of the shaft, cylindricalrecesses in the partitions leading into the ends from the rim of saidpiston and communicating through ports in said partition with thecompartments in the piston separated by such partition and the slidingabutments movable in the said recesses Y having longitudinal grooves orchannels, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal.

EDWARD O. BENNETT. [L. s] Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OsBoRN, C. WV. M. SMITH.

